Distorted
by Guessworks
Summary: Zelda is adored by many. Sheik is despised. Zelda has everything her twin has ever wanted... How far will Sheik go to claim what is rightfully hers? For PitFTW and Foxpilot's AU romance contest.
1. Act I

ACT I

* * *

The princess ballerina...  
Her porcelain skin and ethereal grace, frozen in time by skilled hands.  
The delicate half-lidded blue eyes.  
Her perfect point.

Her prince searches, high and low...  
One day, he will find her.  
Until then she stays dancing, moving slowly.  
She is confident he will find her.

She spins, forever, to the sound of the twinkling music...

Perfectly...

The music stops.

Her flawless skin melts away.  
Her sky blue eyes fade.  
She stops spinning, and simply stands...  
Eventually she chips away, piece by piece.  
All that is left is a small ivory slipper.

Her prince fell for another...  
He forgot her...  
He was not coming for her.  
No one was coming for her.

* * *

Plié. Demi plié. Soutenu en tournant. Arabesque...

No! I need to be lower! My foot needs to be higher!

I grab the elastic on my wrist and snap it as hard as I can. Then swiftly, I sraighten myself up and start from the beginning of the routine. Second position. Demi plié. Soutenu en tournant. Arabesque. Fifth position. Entrechat. Échappé.

"No!"

I snap the elastic again. It breaks and flies across the room and hits the mirrorred wall at the end. The red ring around my wrist is not punishment enough. I must be perfect...

Quickly I run to my bag and sift through it. I pop open a small bottle and pour out three pills. I swallow them.

Standing back up, I go over the intro song in my head. I will get to watch from the sidelines as she dances onstage with her toy. She will fool everyone. But not me... no, she has never fooled me. She is far from the girl the world sees, far from the perfection people think she is.

Her long brown hair and big innocent eyes hide the evil that I know lays inside her heart. They see her as kind, smart, talented, graceful... They see me as mean, snobby, discarded, awkward. All because I hide in her shadow. All because I am painfully shy.

But no more of the old me remains. She has crossed the line. I had always done ballet... recently she joined, and turned out better than me. I had always liked, and recently loved, Link. She swept him away and now keeps him under lock and key as her boytoy. Everything that was supposed to be mine, she took.

I look to my left at the mirrored wall. In the reflection I see a pale girl with big grey eyes, pin-straight blonde hair, a big nose, pointy shoulders, knobby knees... People tell me that I am beautiful. We are semi-identical, after all, but I know they all believe that she is the prettier twin. People tell me that I am not fat, that I am skinny. I don't believe that either.

Suddenly the girl in the mirror morphs into the one I hate most. She stands there, in her fancy crimson costume, grinning at me like there is nothing wrong with the world. Screeching, I punch her with all of the strength I can muster. The glass shatters and rains around me.

I start to panic when I see her ugly head on every single shard. I turn around, but she is on the mirror behind me. I am surrounded by her.

"What's wrong, dear sister? Aren't you happy?"

Her falsely sweet voice makes me sick.

"You are my understudy! You should be proud."

I don't want to be proud. I have failed! I was not perfect, I failed! But she wasn't perfect either! She deserves nothing!

"Dear sister, you are mistaken... I deserve the world on it's knees."

"STOP!" I scream at the top of my lungs, frantically scratching my ears. "STOP! SHUT UP!"

I don't want to hear her voice. I don't want to see her. I want her to go away! I want her to die! I want her to go away and die, to leave me in her wake, to finally let me be perfect and claim what was always mine!

The door to the studio opens and reveals Link's understudy. He furrows his brows when he notices the blood spattered on my milky white costume, as well as the shards on the floor.

"Did someone... break in or something?" He inquires, ruffling his red hair a little.

I shake my head no and slowly walk over to my bag. My hands are shaking. As I am putting my belongings back, I feel her eyes piercing me. Taunting me. In my head I hear her voice; she tells me I am fat. She tells me I am useless.

I leap in surprise when I feel a hand against my back. My partner studies me with his deep blue eyes. He narrows them at me.

"Are you high?" His question is nonchalant.

"I took three pills." My answer is murmured as I continue packing my things.

He nods as if it was perfectly normal. He understands that I need to take my medicine. He never asks why I take them.

"Are you leaving? I need to practice. It would be best if we could together."

I stop in the process of zipping my bag and just let it lay on the floor. I don't want to go home to her. Slowly I make my way to the center of the room and get in position for the first act while my partner starts the music.

The act starts out slowly, with a fragile girl waking in an abandoned hospital. She has no memories of her past, and she is trapped inside her own hallucinations. In the hospital also awakes a boy, who hears the girl screaming; he sets out to find her. He stops her from accidentally killing herself during one of her trances, but, still not having come out of it, she almost kills him.

I move as gracefully as I can, letting passion and emotion imbue my movements. With all of the strength I can muster I masterfully twirl and dance. My partner and I join; together we move as one... He dips me down low, and our eyes meet for a split-second.

I scream. Blood soaks his bright red hair and coats his pale skin, turning them a dark vermilion. His eyes reflect pain. His skin starts to peel off- it's disgusting, but I can't look away. His lips are cracked like old porcelain. He mouths something, then his whole body shatters completely. I scream again, hysterical sobs starting to inch their way in to my screeches.

"Sheik!" He shouts, holding my shoulders and scanning my face. I bring my hands up and cover my mouth. Roy looks perfectly fine. His hair and skin are not stained crimson. His cerulean eyes are still alive. I take a deep breath.

"I'm fine, Roy. Let's continue."

He stares at me for a second with a disappointed look on his face, then goes and rewinds the music a bit. We start practicing again.

* * *

**A/N: Derp. I had this in my head for the longest time but didn't know how to put it down in writing. I feel kind of stupid for undertaking such a challenging piece (or at least challenging for me). I'm going to have some trouble mixing the horror/romance elements…**

**This story will be for PitFTW and Foxpilot's AU romance contest. Let me know what you think. **

**If you guys are confused about the French words in the beginning, they're ballet terms.**

**For those of you who read one of my other fics, Illuminated Faces, chapter 8 is postponed to next week because I have not had time to complete it.**


	2. Act II

ACT II

* * *

This time I arrive first. The mirror is still broken, which is to be expected; my partner just punched through it the week before.

I put down my bag and sigh. Alone, I begin to practice the first act, and just as I am about to start the second, Sheik arrives. Hurriedly, without a word, she gets into position.

The second act is short, but fast-paced. The girl begins to succumb to her delusions. She doesn't even fight the hallucinations and lets them take over. The boy is left helpless as dementia controls the delicate beauty he had saved. She runs around the abandoned hospital, searching for her long-dead mother.

A couple of hours pass. I stare at myself in the broken mirror as she grabs her bag.

"Sheik?" I ask lightly, turning around.

She stares at me with her deep grey eyes and blinks. Some of her pale blond hair has escaped her bun; the strands frame her face perfectly. I've noticed over the past two years that she is getting thinner. I can clearly see the outline of her ribs through her ivory costume.

I briefly remember Link telling me about problems in between Sheik and her twin. They apparently fought constantly, with Zelda belittling her sister at every chance she got. Sheik was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and was prescribed on some sort of medication; I've always assumed those pills she took were to treat her condition. But recently, she seems to be getting worse.

"Yes?"

"Are you going home tonight?"

She immediately looks down and stands up. Long, slender fingers quickly undo her bun; her pin-straight hair falls at waist-lenght. Absentmindedly she rubs her wrist.

"I don't want to." she whispers quietly.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

Shaking her head no, she puts the elastic around her wrist and snaps it as hard as she can.

"You can crash at my appartment tonight. I'm going to be out most of the night anyway."

Her eyes bore into mine. I can see the gratitude whirl in the crystaline shade of her beautiful eyes. God... what has Zelda done to hurt her so badly? They had always gotten along so well...

"If you don't mind..."

"I definitely don't."

She smiles. For a moment I am completely captivated by her beauty. Her porcelain face is completely lit up, rendering her features heavenly; she radiates light. It's been a long time since I've seen her smile.

"Thanks, Roy."

Turning around for a moment, she grabs a black scarf and wraps it around her lower face. At this moment I know for sure that something is very wrong with her. She hadn't worn a cowl since we were seven.

_"Hey, Roy?" Link asks, crossing his legs and leaning back against the mirrorred wall._

_"Yeah?"_

_"Do you know why Sheik always wears that scarf to cover her face?"_

_I look out at the girls, and sure enough, the blonde is wearing her usual scarf. It's black silk, which contrasts her snow white tutu; the instructor doesn't seem to care, though. I shrug._

_"Why don't you ask her yourself?" I look back at my friend._

_"Fine. But you have to come with me."_

_I exaggerate a sigh._

_"Fine."_

_We wait for the girls to stop dancing, then walk up to Sheik. She's talking to Samus, another blonde. The blue-eyed girl nudges her grey-eyed friend as we approach. They whisper something to each other and giggle. Samus leaves to talk to Zelda._

_"Hey guys."_

_The pale girl smiles behind her cowl. We respond with a small "hey" and a wave._

_"Sheik, why do you always wear a scarf?" Link asks, putting his elbow on my shoulder and leaning on me._

_"Ah... uh... I..."_

_"C'mon, you can tell us." My friend pokes her._

_"Well... it's just... you guys know I'm shy..."_

_"Is it because you don't think you're pretty?" I ask, shrugging Link off._

_"Well... no, sorta... Okay, maybe." She murmurs, cringing a little._

_Link reaches forward, and in one swift motion, pulls her scarf down. She gasps and pulls it back up. I start to tell her-_

_"Well, I think you're very pretty." My friend cuts me off, giving Sheik a charming seven-year old's smile._

_"Really?"_

_"Really." He says, nodding his head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world._

From that day onwards, Sheik has never worn a scarf.

The fact that she is wearing one today concerns me as I unlock my flat's door and lead my partner in. She looks around for a moment before awkwardly standing in my living room.

"This is the kitchen," I say, taking off my coat and pointing to the room adjacent to the foyer. "The first door down the hall is my bedroom, and the second is the bathroom. You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch."

"No. I mean, I don't want to intrude-"

I turn around and stare into her crystalline eyes.

"I'm out working most of the night, I'm fine with the couch." I walk into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home. You can take a shower if you want, and feel free to raid the fridge. I need to leave after I eat."

She nods, making her pale hair fly in front of her face. Sheik pulls it back and braids it in record time. She leaves for a moment to examine my room, and I take the opportunity to quickly run into the foyer and pick up the little white bottle on the floor- I saw it fall out of her bag a moment ago.

The bottle reads "Speed" in a fading typeface. That means everytime she takes her "medicine"... the girl is taking drugs. I wonder why. Does she want to lose weight? Briefly escape her life? Maybe she feels it boosts her ballet performance. To be honest, probably all three.

It breaks my heart.

* * *

As soon as the apartment door closes behind Roy, I gently sit on his plush bed. His room is a neutral shade of blue-grey, as is the rest of his apartment; the flat is fairly clean. His blankets are large, soft and dark blue with a faded white plaid pattern. Near his pillows rest a small, worn teddy bear.

I pick it up gently. A black button eye had fallen off long ago, and patches of fur are missing. The dark brown stuffed toy is covered in multicolored patches of old fabrics where I assume there had been a hole. When I look at it's paws, I notice the faded writing- "To Roy. Happy Birthday! -Zelda and She". My name is cut off by a patch.

I put the toy down and am startled out of my curiosity by a knock on the door. Slowly I get out of my partner's bedroom, unbolt the door and open it.

In front of me stands Link. His blonde hair has grown longer, and he has gotten his ear pierced. Blue eyes stare into mine with surprise; he shifts and adjusts a bag on his shoulder.

"Sheik? I didn't know you and Roy were together."

I feel myself turn red underneath my scarf.

"No! We're not together. I'm just staying here for tonight. You know, um, family problems."

He sighs and leans against the door frame. Of course the boy that has been my close friend for years knows what I really mean when I say family problems. Gently he reaches out and pulls down my black silk scarf, then brushes a strand of hair out of my face.

"I'm sorry Zelda acts like she does. At first she didn't mean to, I swear. She's really kind... she... loves you. She doesn't like to admit it, but you're still her twin sister." Link says, putting the bag he held on the floor. I snort and pull up my cowl.

"Yeah. Changing the subject... did you need to see Roy for anything?"

He nods.

"Is he here?"

"He just left."

"Ah, must've missed him, then. Just give this to him." He pushes the cloth bag through the door frame and inside the apartment with his foot. "And... Sheik..."

He pulls me into a tight hug, his rough hands wrapped tightly around my lower back. I savor the moment and put my arms around his shoulders.

"I'll always be here for you. If you need anything, if you're having trouble with anything... call for me, and I'll find you." The blonde boy's sweet voice is muffled by the hug.

He lets me go, gives me a small smile, then walks away.

I close the door, biting my nails and crying for all the cruelty in the world. Why must my "darling" sister have to have him? I bet she doesn't love him. I bet she's manipulating him into being her perfect little boyfriend so she can finish painting her perfect little life.

Everything about him is so... contrary to Zelda. He is tall, tanned, bright, generous, kind-hearted, honest; my twin is a blood red rose. She might look like a goddess, but only I know the true evil that resides inside. Why must she ruin my life?

I walk back into Roy's room, grab the teddy, curl up in his bed and close my eyes.

_Link and I are onstage. It's the final show. The lights shine brightly on us as we dance, as we flow together; we are one. The story is progressing, and just as we near the end of the second act-_

_She walks onstage, in my bloodstained white costume. Her brown hair is disheveled, and her makeup is completely ruined. In her hand she carries a long shard of cracked glass. When she nears us, she screams and shoves the glass through Link's throat. _

_He gurgles, a flow of red escaping his perfect lips, then collapses on me. The crimson pouring out of his wound blends with my vermilion costume and runs down my pale skin. My heart is pounding through every fiber of my being. _

_"Dear sister, the only way you can have Link now is to join him in hell." Her voice is rough and poisonous. _

_"Go away!" I scream, trying to push her away, but failing, seeing as how my nearly-dead friend is slumped against me. _

_"I won't go away unless you kill me first. Let's play a game."_

_"No."_

_She licks her lips and puts a hand on her hip._

_"Let's play a game." She repeats, staring at me intensely. "You can be the cat. I'll be the mouse. You have until the night of the show to chase me. If you don't, then I have as long as I want to chase you."_

_"No!" I'm screaming, clutching Link._

_Zelda laughs demonically before ripping the corpse of her now-dead boyfriend out of my grip. She plunges a hand through his chest; she rips out his heart. Bearing her perfectly white teeth, she bites a hole in the organ, then squeezes it in a pale hand and sprays red blood everywhere. _

_I scream in horror. Her voice resonates in my head, forever mocking me. _

_"There is the hunter_

_There is the quarry_

_Is it possible for the hunter_

_To become the huntee?_

_Claws glint in the night_

_Blood runs through the dark_

_I see you shiver in fright_

_I never miss my mark_

_So tell me now dear sister_

_Are you capable of hunting me?_

_Are you capable of killing me?_

_Or will I get the pleasure_

_Of murdering you first?"_

* * *

When I get back to my flat, all of the lights are off. Everything is completely, eerily silent. I don't even bother to change into my pajamas- I'm already wearing sweatpants, so I pull off my shirt and shoes then lie on the couch. There's a blanket conveniently located on the floor, which I cover myself with. Within minutes I am asleep.

A sharp shriek laced with horror wakes me up. Quickly I am standing in the entrance to my room, asking Sheik if she's okay. The beautiful blonde is sobbing hysterically with her hands covering her face. In between sobs I can hear her mutter someone's name. Sitting down next to her, I put my hands on her shoulders and make her look at me.

The tears still fresh make her eyes glow pale silver in the moonlight. Her pale blonde hair is ruffled; I brush a couple of strands that fell in front of her face.

"Shhhhh..." I murmur, laying her down. She hiccups one last sob then closes her eyes. I stay, quiet as a mouse, until I am certain she has fallen back to sleep.

Gently, being careful not to wake her up, I press my lips lightly against hers.

With that, I go back to bed.

* * *

**A/N: Next Act- this one is a lot longer. I was originally go the whole chapter with Roy, but I decided to move some scenes to Act III where they would fit better.**

**As usual, I'd appreciate some criticism- this is for a contest, after all. I want to improve!**

**I must once again apologize to Illuminated Faces readers- the fic is postponed until this one is done, if not earlier. I have barely any more time to myself, and this story is my first priority on FFn, so sorry!**

**Total word count so far: 4000-ish words**


	3. Act III

ACT III

* * *

The grey skies churn above me, promising a storm. I let the cold wind whip my long brown hair from side to side. The empty streets echo with the sound of dead leaves being dragged along by the wind; I sigh quietly to myself. Discretely I check my watch. Link should have been here to pick me up five minutes ago.

A battered and dirty silver car noisily rolls down the gloomy street and comes to a stop in front of me. I open the door and swiftly slink inside. I smile sweetly as my blonde boyfriend kisses me on the cheek.

"Sheik come home yet?" He asks, steering his old automobile down my street.

"No. You said she was staying at Roy's?"

He nods in confirmation, then takes a left turn.

"I called him, but he said she left."

I sigh and place a hand on my forehead. Why did my sister have to be such a burden?

"Oh, calm down, Zel. I'm sure she's just at the studio. She's independant; she'll be fine by herself." Link steals a glance in my direction.

"You and I both know she can't be alone." I comment calmly.

"And why not?" He retorts, pulling a sharp right turn.

"She's crazy! Mentally unstable. She's always being stupid. It's not that I don't want to associate with her, but she is really annoying."

"She just has an anxiety disorder. She's not isane or unstable. She's always been in your shadow and she tries to avoid you."

"Then why is she always in my way?"

"Because, even if she hasn't done anything, you tell her to 'Be a good girl, take your meds, and get out of my face'! She's human too. She's not retarded. It hurts her a lot when you and someone else are talking about her and making her sound disabled."

"She can't take care of herself. She's pityful! She's been doing ballet for years, and I join and beat her at it! You'd think she'd be good!"

"She is good! You just don't give her a chance. I know you were first-born and favorite, but that doesn't mean you have to push her back!"

We stop at a red light.

"Why do you even care about her so much?" I ask, venom lacing my voice.

Link grips the wheel tightly, his knucles turning white. The light turns green, and we turn onto a smaller, deserted street.

"Because she's my friend. You keep pushing her deeper and deeper into depression. I don't want her to kill herself."

"Kill herself? It'd be wonderful, if she killed herself! I wouldn't have to deal with her anymore!"

The blonde pulls over and stops the car. He's glaring daggers at me.

"Get out." he hisses through clenched teeth.

"You can't tell me to get out! I'm your girlfriend." I stare at him in disbelief.

"Yes, I can. You're not the girl I fell in love with."

When I don't move, he gets out of the car, goes around, and opens my door.

"GET OUT!" He yells, gripping the window tightly.

Shakily I step onto the sidewalk, watching my lifelong friend get back behind the wheel.

"Fine. Fine! Have it your way! We're over!" I'm on the verge of tears as I slam the door.

"Good."

Without a glance, he drives away.

* * *

I listen to the faint tinkling of my music box, sitting in the center of the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I see myself reflected in the mirrors. Dull eyes that match the sky stare at me. Peacefully, my mind blank, I watch the porcelain ballerina twirl. The rain outside is pouring. It almost drowns out my music.

Suddenly the door is thrown open, and a soaked Roy stumbles in.

"Sheik! Oh, thank the gods you're here." His red hair drips all over the washed out hardwood floor. Silently I close my music box and stand up.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"Link's in the hospital. I came here as soon as I found out."

My heart stops beating for a moment. I feel faint.

"What?" I ask softly, not believing my ears.

"He was driving when it started raining... A car lost control and slammed into him. I'm heading to the hospital to check on him. You coming?"

I nod, and walk briskly out the door and into the freezing rain. I barely feel the sharp drops piercing my skin, pounding against my back like nails. I run to Roy's beat up Cavalier and slip in. I am numb. Pressing a cold hand against the equally cold window, I watch the drops of water fall.

Suddenly we are in his room. His pale features are the only color aside from the hauntingly stark white; tubes and needles snake their way into his bruised skin. Roy walks up to him and sits on the edge of the bed. I stand in the doorway, frozen by the sight of the one I love in such a condition.

A beautiful nurse pushes past me. Her yellow hair and pink face contrast her small white dress. With practiced movements she replaces Link's IV bag, then takes some notes. Turning towards us, she blinks.

"I can fetch the doctor if you'd like to speak to him."

Her voice is bubbly and sweet, like her appearance. Roy nods at her, and I move out of her way as she leaves. The moment she is gone, another blonde enters. She stares at me with her big, sorrowful eyes for a moment. I can't meet her gaze and look down.

"Sheik…" She whispers hoarsely and wraps me in a loving hug. Hesitantly I hug back. I'm shaking. Our embrace lasts about a minute, and when she lets me go, I'm suddenly incredibly cold. I wrap my arms around myself in a vain attempt at warmth and comfort. Samus steps lightly and sits on the other side of Link's bed, opposite to Roy. They grab his hands. Somewhere in the corner of my mind I hear them whisper their love and faith in him, even if he is comatose.

My numbness begins to ebb away, and reality hits me like a wall. My friend, my love, his dying on a bloody hospital bed, and all I can do is stand and watch him bleed. I can't even walk up to him and whisper the three words that course through my veins at the very though of him. The very words he told Zelda every day…

Yet another person pushes past me. This time, it is a short, portly man with a mustache and a white coat. He reads over the clipboard on the bedside table and checks the machines, just like the nurse. With a solemn face, he motions for us to follow him.

Once we are standing in an empty room, the mustached man runs a hand through his curly hair. His tired sigh echoes throughout the silent halls.

"I hate this part of my job…" he mumbles, looking at us sheepishly. "I've already told his family this."

Our eyes bore into his.

"He's not going to make it till morning."

My heart shatters. My slight shaking has turned violent. I bring my pale hands to my face, though no tears fall. Silently I choke out muffled sobs, though the others don't seem to notice. The shards of my love for Link cut and rip up my insides.

"… His injuries are too severe. We performed multiple surgeries, but they were just too much. His torso is pretty much ripped apart, and he lost too much blood."

I run out of the room and back into Link's. Crystalline tears start to blur my vision as I kneel beside the one I love and press his bruised palm against mine. I sob, the shaking finally possessing my entire body in a vicious bout of anguish. His breaths are shallow, much too shallow, as well as much too rapid. I fear his end is near, and I never want to let go.

Suddenly I can't hear the heart monitor.

He's dead.

With all of the pain and sorrow buried in me, I scream. Immediately Roy and Samus are in the room, followed shortly by the doctor. I press my face against my dead friend's hand to hide the shameful tears. Samus openly starts to cry, something I've never seen her do, while Roy's face falls in unimaginable sadness. The doctor just looks indifferent, though slightly pained.

I don't know how long I sit there crying, but eventually Samus and the medic leave. Gently Roy puts an arm around me and pulls me into a comforting hug. It's all happening too fast- how can Link be dead? How will I never see his brilliant blue eyes again? Why did he have to pick _her_?

Why couldn't _I_ have died instead?

* * *

The third act is one that will forever more bring sorrow to me.

The boy is nowhere to be found. The girl is too busy mourning the loss of her already-dead parent that she barely notices the one that cares for her is absent. She walks dazedly through the desolate halls, getting herself high on medication while her delusions continue.

I sit here, on the bench next to where Link crashed, and watch the authorities trying to scrub away the blood staining the pavement. It's stopped raining, and my red hair is whipped to the side by a viciously frozen wind. The stars don't shine tonight, as instead they are covered with a thick veiled of black clouds. The streetlights meagerly illuminated the park behind me, the very park I must cross to get back home.

I stand up and start weaving my way through the large, desolate playground. Suddenly, a mass of limbs lying underneath a tree catches my attention. Upon closer investigation, I find it to be Sheik. I clear my throat, then bend down and shake her awake.

She stares at me with her big grey eyes.

"Roy?"

"Yeah. Why are you sleeping in a park?"

She turns her head away before answering.

"Zelda kicked me out. She doesn't want to see my face ever again."

I growl.

"Come with me." I grab her wrist and pull the blonde to her feet. Tiredly I start walking again, only to turn around and find her just standing underneath the tree.

"I don't need your kindness." She whispers, looking at me sternly.

"Fine. But at least find somewhere to stay." I plead, running a calloused hand through my messy mop of hair.

She snorts at me and walks away.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had written a super long and amazing ending for this chapter… then my computer crashed just as I was saving, so I lost it :C I lost hope for a little while.**

**Anyhow, read and review! The final chapter should be up as soon as possible.**

**Oh, I don't mean for Zelda to be so OOC, I promise. All will be settled in the last chapter.**

**Last thing: thanks a million times to Arceli L/Clumsyheart17 or whatever your pen name is. I admire your work so much, and it means loads to me that you read this and tell me your honest opinion.**

Total word count: 5 888 ish words


	4. Act IV

ACT IV

* * *

_White walls surround us _  
_No light will touch your face again_  
_ Rain taps the window _  
_As we sleep among the dead_  
_ Days go on forever _  
_But I have not left your side_  
_ We can chase the dark together _  
_If you go then so will I_

_There is nothing left of you _  
_I can see it in your eyes_  
_ Sing the anthem of the angels_  
_ And say the last goodbye_

I softly hum the haunting melody to myself as I steer my old Cavalier into the cracked driveway. The skies are still painted grey by a large mass of forlorn clouds; the heavens have been hidden for quite some time now. With a sigh I turn the key in the ignition and cut the music short.

I lean back against my seat and stare at the drab bungalow that faces me. A small porch houses a chipped white chair as well as a dead plant. Across the lawn are strewn vermilion leaves. Normally I would have no reason to visit this home, but I want answers. No, I need answers. I can see what is happening but I do not know the story behind it all; I feel like I am deaf.

In my mind there is nothing more perfect on this spherical mass of rock than my partner. She is flawless. I care deeply for the grey-eyed ballerina. At first I just believed that I liked her as a good friend. In the recent years I've analyzed my situation.

Every time I see her porcelain face my heart races. Her sweet, melodious voice is always ringing in my ears; the way she smiles when she laughs is always on my mind. The way she can be fragile a moment then completely strong and independant the next bemuses me. Everything about her, good or bad, gives me butterflies.

That's why I decided I was in love.

And somehow she leads me here.

Finally I decide to step out of the car, and as soon as I do, a ferocious fall wind pummels me. Slowly but confidently I make my way to the front door. When I knock, flakes of white paint crack and fall off. No one comes so I knock again.

"I'm coming!"

The muffled reply can barely be heard through the door. A moment passes before the piece of oak swings open, revealing a brunette girl in shabby sweatpants. She narrows her eyes at me for a moment, processing something.

"Roy?"

I smile faintly, though it's anything but genuine.

"Hi, Zelda." Sighing, I tiredly run a hand through my red hair. "We need to talk. Can I come in?"

She eyes me warily then motions for me to enter. Closing the door, she leads me to what I presume is the living room then vanishes through another doorway. Unsure if I should take a seat, I look around. The walls are a pale sea foam hue, made drab by the gloomy light filtering in from the window. There is one loveseat and an armchair, both rich brown in color and faded from age. On an intricately carved nightstand lays a picture frame.

With a quiet movement I flip the stained wood over, revealing a faded picture. Gently I pick up the frame, but before I can actually look at the frozen memories, Zelda violently rips it out of my hand and sets it down.

"You can sit." She breathes, motioning to the chair.

I do as told, sinking into the couch. Wordlessly she offers me a cup of tea; I politely take the fragile china from her delicate hands. Her expectant blue eyes stare at me. I have so many questions left unanswered; where should I start?

"Why weren't you at Link's deathbed, or his funeral?"

She looks away and tightens her grip on the little cup.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. To see him, I mean."

Patiently I stay silent. A minute or two passes before I sigh.

"I won't press the matter, but I still need to talk about other things." I pause to take a sip of the tea. It burns my tongue. "The day of the crash, I was walking home and saw Sheik sleeping in a park. She told me you kicked her out."

Zelda turns towards me, a guilty look on her face.

"I did."

"Why?"

The brunette looks sorrowful as she drinks her tea.

"I just... I... I don't know."

I shuffle and adjust my position on the couch, then stare at her in disbelief.

"You don't know why you told your twin you never wanted to see her face again?" My question is accusing.

"I..." She puts the cup down on the end table. "I just got so angry... not at her, I mean, I felt so guilty. I still feel guilty... It's all my fault."

The head ballerina looks like she's about to cry. Her answers give me nothing but more questions, however, so I must continue interrogating her.

"What's all your fault? Your sister's gradual breakdown? Her starving herself? Her random bouts of screaming and crying? Or maybe her addiction to drugs?"

"Sheik does drugs?" Zelda looks at me wide-eyed and shocked. When I nod she places her hands over her face. "Oh my god. Link was right! I should have listened... He was right, he was always right. I'm so horrible. What did I do to myself... What did I do to her? Link..."

The end to her rambling is muffled by quick, shattering sobs. I do nothing but sit here and wait.

"What was Link right about? Zelda, please answer my questions. I need to know this."

She stares at me, tears running down her cheeks.

"I treat Sheik like crap for no reason whatsoever. The... day he crashed... we had a fight about that, then he made me leave the car and drove away... Then he died... It's all my fault!"

Another sob racks her thin frame.

"It's just... have you seen Sheik? She's so perfect. She's good at everything. She's beautiful. She is smart. She has the reflexes and grace of a ninja. And m-me? I was al-always a little jealous. I'm smart, sure, but reall-ly... am I go-ood for anything beside th-that? No! A-and I guess m-my je-ealousy got ove-e-er me... A-and now... I regret every-y little th-thing I-I did..." Her shallow breathing punctuates her sentences as she starts crying harder.

I sit here in shock at what she just said. Zelda, the perfect princess, jealous of her sister?

"Um... I..." Awkwardly I try to comfort her. What am I supposed to say?

As suddenly as the crying intesified, it calmed, the brunette quickly regaining composure.

"I-if you nee-eed to find her... Samus hear-rd from h-her yesterday. S-she said that Sheik wa-as staying a-at the Hyatt downt-town."

I nod and she stands, motioning for me to do the same. Shakily she leads me to the main door and holds it open.

"Bye. I, er, appreciate it." I run my hand through my messy red hair, just as I did when I entered.

"Roy... plea-ease t-tell the instructor t-that I'm quitting ballet... Sh-Sheik can d-dance the lead..."

Before I can say anything I'm being pushed through the threshold and the door is closed. In reality I had a lot more to discuss with Sheik's twin, but the info I gathered today is enough for now.

* * *

I savor the musky fall wind, letting it blow my scarf from side to side. The city looks drab, a blob of depressed grey flecked with dead vermilion; a couple of crows perch in a bare tree on the sidewalk below. I trace my fingers in a circular motion, gently caressing the concrete of the building I sit upon. Approximately twenty floors below, a car zooms by.

The clouds have stopped churning and instead move peacefully, though they are still colored a dark hue. My toes peek over the edge of the roof. I lean forward. Gravity begs me to let go and fall, but for now I stay sitting, contemplating the world.

And what a sad world. Sometimes it is covered in blood and death, other times it is a source of indescribable sorrow; the people who can see hope in today's society are miracles.

With indifference I watch blood drip off of my pale fingertips and stain the grey rooftop. When I glance away then look again the red liquid is gone. I sigh and reach for the cloth bag resting next to me. From it I pull out my bottle of pills. Shaking it, I wonder if I'd have enough to overdose. Deciding that I probably wouldn't anyway, I throw my "medecine" over the edge and watch it plummet.

With a final glance at the city around me I stand up and close my eyes. Taking a sharp breath in, I lean forward. I feel gravity pulling at me, willing me to tip over and follow my little white bottle. I oblige and begin to fall.

But suddenly, I'm not falling. In fact, I'm being pulled back onto the concrete by some unknown hands around my waist. Angrily I open my eyes and struggle against whoever has their grip on me.

"Let me go!" I screech, clawing at the hands holding me away from my precious emptyness.

"Never." I recognize the voice, which makes me all the angrier.

"Roy! Let me go!"

"No."

"Leave me alone!"

"No!"

I yell in frustration and struggle as much as I can, yet his grip never falters.

"Roy! I mean it!"

"I mean it too, Sheik. I'm not letting go."

"Why?" I snap viciously, attempting to pull his strong arms away from me.

A tense silence envelops the rooftop as I try to free myself from Roy's hold. We balance on the edge of the building, precariously close. If only I can escape him, then I can launch myself towards the streets below...

"Because, Sheik, I love you. Not as a friend. I love you."

I stop struggling and try turning around instead. He senses that my focus is no longer on ending my life and loosens his grip on me. Deep yet bright blue eyes look at me with a hint of sadness and immesurable love.

Part of me wonders why I didn't notice. Another part of me wants to deny it. The last part of me wants to push him away and scream, because he is not Link.

All of a sudden his eyes go blank. There is no life in his body as he slumps against me. I scream and trip backwards, almost losing my balance, but sending Roy over the edge. I stare at him with an overwhelming sense of despair in my heart as he plummets.

"Sheik?"

No. He is here in front of me.

I shiver and press myself against the redhead, not wanting to imagine him actually falling. We stay standing here for a long time, a million subjects going through my mind. I can't possibly have feelings for Roy. I love Link. Yet a part of me knows I've always had a place for my partner in my heart. But is it love?

"The show starts in an hour." I whisper, pushing him away a little.

"So it does. And we're both dancing the leads."

It takes me a moment to register what he's said.

"What?"

"Zelda's dropping out."

I stare at the boy in front of me with wide eyes. At that moment, for some reason, it seems like my life was based on the ballet we are performing tonight.

The fourth act especially. When the girl realizes that her only support was missing, she fell into a deep depression. But he found her and held her and whispered kind words. Her hallucinations got worse, and worse... Somehow she knew it'd get better, however. Why? Because the boy loved her.

"Roy... Do you actually love me?"

He looks at me with such emotion that I have to look away.

"I do and always will, forever. Until the end."

Yeah. What I feel? It's love.

* * *

**A/N: Doooonneeeee finally :p Originally the story ended with Sheik living through a hallucination then realizing that in the one that she had earlier she actually did push Roy off the edge. In other words, a sad ending indeed.**

**I'm soo not satisfied with the amount of horror. This is supposed to be a horror/romance, not an angst/romance :/ But otherwise, I'm proud of it. Review and please tell me what you liked and didn't like, it always helps tons.**

**On an unrelated note: cheerleading season is starting at my school, and I'm head cheerleader this year! Go leopards! :D**

**Thank you for reading. Thanks to PitFTW and Foxpilot for giving me an excuse to write this, and thanks to Arceli L and others for the praise and criticism :) See you all next fic!**

**EDIT: Oops, I forgot! Giving credit where credit is due, the lyrics at the beginning are Anthem Of The Angels by Breaking Benjamin. They're the only ones I didn't make up on my own, but the song is very fitting.**


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